Apple & Warner Bros Down To Wire On ‘Emancipation’ At Virtual Cannes; Bids In Record Setting $130 Million Gross Range

With COVID-19 pandemic still on the rise, worries about the virus' spread are affecting the entertainment business more than ever. With the release of new blockbusters essentially at a standstill since early March, and the reopening of theatres are still up in the air.

A suspect is on the loose after a police chase that started in Glendale ended when the suspect's car crashed through one of the gates at the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank, Sgt.

Nellie Andreeva Co-Editor-in-Chief, TVThe Batman director and Felicity co-creator Matt Reeves has signed an exclusive, multi-year overall deal with Warner Bros. The rich pact had quietly closed months ago, and is now being confirmed.Under the overall agreement, Reeves will develop new television programming for all platforms via his 6th & Idaho production company: streaming services, including HBO Max; broadcast, premium and basic cable networks.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“The Batman” director Matt Reeves is expanding his relationship with Warner Bros.Reeves and his 6th & Idaho production company have signed an overall deal with Warner Bros. Television Group.

Nellie Andreeva Co-Editor-in-Chief, TVEXCLUSIVE: Writer/producer LaToya Morgan (The Walking Dead, Into the Badlands) has signed a major exclusive overall deal with Warner Bros. Television Group.WBTVG landed Morgan in a competitive situation.

Dave McNary Film Reporter“Aquaman” himself, Jason Momoa, is in negotiations to star as Frosty the Snowman in a movie for Warner Bros.Momoa will voice Frosty in the live-action/CG hybrid. Framestore UK will do the animation.Momoa will also produce with Geoff Johns and Stampede’s Greg Silverman and Jon Berg.

Jason Momoa isn’t the type of guy that is bashful about his body. Clearly, the actor works hard to look like a real-life superhero, and he doesn’t mind a film role that requires him to show off those abs.

Mike Fleming Jr Co-Editor-in-Chief, FilmEXCLUSIVE: Warner Bros and Stampede have set up Frosty The Snowman, a live action film that will see Aquaman star Jason Momoa voicing the iconic snowman.Jon Berg and Greg Silverman of Stampede produce with Geoff Johns of Madghost, and Momoa.

Anthony D'Alessandro Editorial Director/Box Office EditorWarner Bros. is moving its Christopher Nolan action thriller Tenet again — this time from Friday, July 31, to Wednesday, August 12.

As the Virtual Cannes Market heads into its final days, the majors have begun to flex their monetary muscle, with MGM closing a deal for remaining international territories on Endeavor Content's hotly-anticipated Bill & Ted sequel and several studios vying for the Will Smith/Antoine Fuqua escaped slave actioner Emancipation, which is expected to close a high eight-figure worldwide deal before Virtual Cannes wraps up.

Glastonbury Festival.This year was set to be all about celebrating the iconic event's 50th anniversary but due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Glasto party has been put on hold until 2021.

Mike Fleming Jr Co-Editor-in-Chief, FilmEXCLUSIVE: Bidding is above $75 million on the first major property at the Cannes Film Festival virtual market. Warner Bros, Apple, MGM, Lionsgate and Universal are among the studios in the mix for world rights on Emancipation.

Also Read: Warner Bros in Talks for 'King Richard,' With Will Smith as Serena Williams' FatherTW3 Entertainment argues in the complaint that it purchased the motion picture rights to any film “based in whole or in part on Defendant [Richard] Williams’ life story or his book.”Williams, in 2014, wrote a memoir on his life titled “Black and White: The Way I See It.” The book details Williams’ life as a black man in the south and the obstacles he had to overcome to raise his daughters and train them

Warner Bros. and Will Smith’s production company were hit with a massive lawsuit over the upcoming biopic about Serena and Venus Williams’ father.

Dominic Patten, Tom Tapp Will Smith’s movie about the life of the father of Serena Williams and Venus Williams maybe still be shut down from concerns over the coronavirus pandemic, but King Richard certainly is being served in the courts today thanks to a potentially multi-million-dollar breach of contract lawsuit.“This case presents an unfortunate and tawdry situation: the cold and calculating misappropriation and interference with Plaintiffs’ intellectual property,” says the seven claim

A sign that the Virtual Cannes Market might actually rack up some real business came on the second day, Tuesday, with news that STX Entertainment picked up worldwide rights on XYZ Films' upcoming genre title Run Rabbit Run, starring Elisabeth Moss and helmed by her The Handmaid's Tale director Daina Reid. STX will release the film itself in the U.S., U.K.

Dawn Ostroff, Spotify’s chief content and advertising business officer, said in a statement.Warner Bros. will lead the development and production of the projects in collaboration with Spotify.

Peter White Television EditorSuperman and Batman could be set to take on the podcast world after Spotify struck a deal with Warner Bros. and DC.The multi-year deal will see the three companies produce and distribute an original slate of narrative scripted podcasts.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorAll-new podcasts starring Batman, Wonder Woman — or Bugs Bunny — could be streaming to your headphones soon.In the latest move to punch up its podcast biz, Spotify inked a multiyear pact with Warner Bros.